The embodiments herein relate to multi-marking module, wide media printing platforms. They find particular application to a configuration that combines images created by different marking modules to increase printing width capabilities relative to each individual marking module.
In conventional xerography, an electrostatic latent image is created on the surface of a photoconducting insulator (e.g., a photoreceptor) and subsequently transferred to a final receiving substrate or medium. This typically involves the following. A uniform electrostatic charge is deposited on the photoreceptor surface, for example, by a corona discharge. The photoreceptor is then exposed (via optics, a laser, LEDs . . . ) with an image of the object to be reproduced. The exposure selectively dissipates the surface charge in the exposed regions and creates a latent image in the form of an electrostatic charge pattern. The image is developed by transferring electrostatically charged toner particles to the photoreceptor surface.
The electrostatically charged toner particles are either attracted to the charged (unexposed) regions, or repelled therefrom and deposited in the discharged (exposed) regions. The toner particles are then transferred from the photoconductor to a transfer element (e.g., a transfer belt or drum), and subsequently transferred to a receiving substrate. The transferred image is made permanent by various techniques including pressure, heat, radiation, solvent, or some combination thereof. In a multicolor electrophotographic process, latent images corresponding to different colors are formed on one or more photoreceptors and developed with respective toner. Each single color toner image is transferred to the substrate or intermediate receiver in superimposed registration with the prior toner image(s) to form the multicolor-image.
In conventional marking modules the width of the components used to mark the surface of the photoreceptor is matched to the photoreceptor width, which determines the maximum substrate width which can be usefully printed upon. A common marking engine width seen in office machines is about 12″ and is used to reproduce images on letter size (8.5″×11″) paper. However, marking engines are produced with various other widths (e.g., 24″, 36″ or more).
A consequence associated with increasing marking engine width is higher cost. Thus, it is generally more efficient to make marking engines no wider than dictated by the substrate size requirements of the market segment being served. These requirements can vary greatly across market segments. For instance, in a typical office a process width that supports letter size (11″ width) is common and sufficient. However, production applications often can demand process widths of 26″ or more. In addition to adding cost, increasing marking engine width may result in decreased image uniformity across the width and reduced component reliability (e.g., longer corotron wires). Moreover, producing multiple marking engines with different widths compromises part commonly, which can lead to an inflated cost of ownership.